Roller-bed and measurer for lumber



n es 2 Sheets 1.

(No Model.)

.B. S. SNELL.

ROLLER BED AND MEASURBR Eon LUMBER. No.'552,788. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

' (No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet 2. g B. S. SNELL. ROLLER BED AND MBASURER FOR LUMBER- Ben Zson Snell Wilgesscs UNITED Y STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

BENTSON S. SNELL, OF KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA.

ROLLER-BED AND MEASURER FOR LUMBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,788, dated January '7', 1896. Application filed January 9, 1895. erial No. 534,345- (No model.)

ject to combine in one machine a roller-bed upon which planks or boards to be sawed are supported during the operation of sawing, and also to provide simple and efficient means for accurately measuring the lengths into which such planks or boards are to be sawed.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful combined roller bed and measurer adapted to be used in connection with 'a trimmer or edger for cutting planks or boards into.

difierent lengths, and with this purpose in view the machine is especially intended for use in connection with small mills not e111- ploying gang-trimmers, and therefore meets the demand of mills that cannot afford expensive gang-trimmers or edgers nor rollerbeds of that character that are operated by power for moving the lumber on and off of the same. I

Vii-h these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arran gement of parts hereinafter more fully de scribed, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined roller-bed and measurer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing in dotted lines the position of the saw in connection with which the machine is employed, and also a portion of the roller-beds used at the ends of the machine to pass the lumber on and off the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse seetional View of the machine on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. l-iS an end view of the machine, partlyin section. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the longitudinal measure-shaft, showing in dotted lines the position. of the adjustable stop-post in one of the holes or openings near the saw end of the machine. Fig.

6 is a detail sectional view on the line (3 6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the bed-frame essentially comprising the parallel frame sides 2, that are constructed in any suitable length according to the length of bed desired, and are strongly and securely braced together by intermediate frame-bars 3 or in any other suitable manner to provide a strong and durable supportingframe. The parallel sides of the frame 1 are provided at their upper edges with the opposite aligned bearing-boxes 3 to receive the spindle ends 4 of the transverse supportingrollers5, that are arranged parallel with each other and at regularly-spaced distances apart. There may be any desired number of the rollers 5 to form a roller-bed for the lumber to be sawed, and at the same time to provide for easily rolling the lumber into position before being sawed and for rolling the sawed plank or board off of the bed and out of the way.

The construction just described substantially provides an ordinary form of roller-bed, and the same is adapted to be used in connection with similar beds 50, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings,) and which are usuallyarranged at the opposite ends of the bed just described to provide means for easily passing the plank or board into position for being sawed and then for passing the sawed plank or board off of the bed, as will be readily understood.

At points intermediate of the transverse supporting-rollers 5 comprising the roller-bed for the lumber, the upper edges of the frame sides 2 are securely braced together by means of the transverse metal straps 6, that are securely connected at their opposite ends to said frame sides, and at one end the said straps are bent upwardly to form the upright bearing-brackets 7, in which are j ournaled the vertically-disposed side rollers 8, that are arranged along one upper side edge of the frame 1. The lumber that is moved onto the rollers 5 is also squared against the said upright side rollers 8, which therefore provide for holding the planks or boards square with the saw while being sawed and at the same time prevent such plank or board from be ing pulled off of the roller-bed while the saw is being passed therethrough; The said upright side rollers also permit the lumber to pass off of the roller-bed easily and without any undue friction.

At one end of the supporting-frame 1 and at one side of the first roller of the beda pair of the transverse straps 6 are arranged closely together in order to bring the upright side rollers at one end thereof also closely together to form a saw-space 9 therebetween, which accommodates the transverse movement of an ordinary circular saw 10, (shown in dotted lines in the drawings,) and which is carried by an ordinary form of swinging frame 11, which allows the saw to be carried transversely across and over the roller-bed between the closely-adjacent transverse straps and upright side rollers in order to saw through the lumber that has been moved onto the roller-bed. At one side of the upright bearing-brackets 7, for the closely-adjacent side rollers 8, at the saw end of the frame, are arranged the upright brace-arms 12, that securely brace such rollers and prevent the same from being worked loose or forced out of position by the pressure or the strain of the lumber thereagainst during the passage of the saw through such lumber, as will be readily understood.

Journaled longitudinally within the frame 1 and under the rollers 5 is the longitudinal measure-shaft 18, one end of which projects beyond the end bearing-plate 14, secured to one end of the frame 1. The said longitudinal measure-shaft 13 is provided with a spirally arranged series of offstanding stopposts 141, which posts are provided at their outer ends with the fiat stop-plates 15, against which plates the end of the lumber to be sawed is moved. The offstanding stop-posts 14: of the longitudinal measure-shaft are so arranged in their spiral disposition that the outer ends of 'no two of such posts can be projected above the plane or surface of the rollers 5 at the same time, and therefore by turning the said measure-shaft any particular one of such stop-posts may be disposed upwardly with its outer end above the upper surface or plane of the rollers in order to be in the path of and therefore stop the lumber to be sawed at the proper point on the roller-bed.

The longitudinal measure-shaft 13 is further provided therein with a series of holes or openings 16, that are arranged at short distances from the saw end of the frame and are adapted to removably receive the adjustable stop-post 17, which provides for stopping the lumber to be sawed at short distances from the saw in order that short lengths of material may be cut or sawed-for instance, laths and the like. The said shaft 13 has fitted on one end thereof at one side of the end bearing-plate 14:, the operating-Wheel 18, that is provided with an offstanding handle 19 for turning the same, and pivotally mounted on the wheel 18, at one side of the handle 19, is the angle latch-lever 20, one end of which works through an opening 21 in the wheel 18,

and the other end of which works at one side of the handle 19 and is normally held away from said handle by an interposed spring 22. The end of the latch-lever 20 that works through the opening 21 in the wheel is adapted to normally engage in any one of the circular series of lock notches or perforations 23, that are formed in the end plate 14 at one side of the wheel 18 to provide for holding the same locked in any adjusted position. The said wheel 18 is provided on its periphery with a scale of figures to which point a pointer-finger 24, secured to one side of the frame 1 at one end thereof and disposed adjacent to the periphery of the wheel 18. The numbers on the wheel 18 indicate the different lengths the stop-posts 1t are from the saw, so that the lumber to be sawed can be easily and accurately measured.

In using the machine the measure-shaft is first turned to a position that will dispose any partic ular stop-post above the surface or plane of the rollers 5, and the shaft is then locked against rotation. The plank or board to be sawed is then moved by hand onto the rollers until stopped by the upwardly-projecting stop-post, which being at the desired distance from the saw (indicated by the scale of figures 011 the wheel 18) will hold the plank or board properly in position for being sawed into the desired length. After having sawed the pl nk or board, the measure-shaft is then turned to a position in which none of the stop-posts will project above the rollers so that the sawed plank or board can be easily rolled off of the bed. To saw short lengths of lumber, the adjustable stop-post 17 is adjusted in any one of the holes or openings 16, as already noted.

From the above it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described machine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a roller bed and measurer for lumber, the combination of the bed frame, a longitudinal series of transverse rollers journaled on said frame, transverse straps connecting the upper edges of the sides of the frame between the rollers and provided at one end with integral upright bearing brackets, ver tical side rollers j ournaled in said brackets, a pair of said side rollers being arranged closely together at one end of the frame to form a saw space therebetween,and a measure shaft j ournaled within the frame under the transverse rollers and provided with a series of stops adapted to be projected between and above the plane of the transverse rollers, substan tially as set forth.

2. In a roller bed and measurer, the combination with the bed frame carrying a longitudinal series of transverse rollers, of a measure shaft journaled within the frame under said rollers and provided with a series of stop posts adapted to be singly projected above the plane of said rollers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a roller bed and Ineasurer, the combination with the bed frame carrying a longitudinal series of transverse rollers, of a measure shaft journaled within the frame under said rollers and provided with a series of spirally arranged offstanding stop posts having fiat stop-plates at'their outer ends, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In a roller bed and measurer, the combination with the bed frame carrying a longitudinal series of transverse rollers; of ameasure shaft journaled longitudinally within the frame under the rollers, and provided With a series of offstanding stop-posts out of alignment with each other and having fiat stopplates at their outer ends, and means for adj usting said shaft to carry any one of the stop posts above the plane of said rollers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a roller bed and ineasurer, the combination with the bed frame carrying a longi-' tudinal series of transverse rollers; ofameasure shaft journaled longitudinally within the frame under the rollers and provided with a series of ofistanding stop-posts out of align ment with each other, and with a series of holes or openings arranged at short distances from one end of the shaft, an adjustable stoppost adapted to removably fit in said holes or openings, and means for adjusting the shaft and locking the same in its adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

6. In a roller bed and measurer, the combination of the bed frame carrying alongitudinal series of transverse rollers and provided at one end with a bearing plate having a circular series of lock notches or perforations, a measure shaft journaled longitudinally within the frame under the rollers and provided with a series of stop posts, an operating wheel mounted on one end of the shaft at one side of said bearing plate and provided with a handle,

a spring-actuated angle latch lever mounted on the Wheel at one side of the handle and adapted to engage in said notches or perforations, and a pointer finger arranged adjacent to the periphery of said wheel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENTSON S. SNELL. Witnesses:

W. S. HARWELL, J. WV. HARWELL. 

